Natural and medical sciences

This article presents data on the taxonomy of birds in the Kaliningrad re¬gion as compared to the taxonomic reviews of birds of Belarus, the Baltic States, Poland, and other European territories. This is the final part a study into the subspecies affiliation of some nesting species of the order Passeriformes. Studying ample data collections and analysing publications made it possible to present a review of the subspecies affiliation of ten nesting bird species.

In comparison with the Blackbird and the Fieldfare having specialised urban populations in Kaliningrad, the Song thrush does not show signs of urbanisation. This article analyses the causes of this phenomenon and examines the results of urbanisation of the closely related species and fundamental differences between them

This article analyses the post-harvest agroclimatic resources based on the buckwheat productivity in Ukraine in changing climate conditions. The au¬thor performed calculations to obtain information on the agroclimatic conditions of the formation of four agroecological productivity categories for long-term annual average data (1986—2005) based on a climate change scenario for 2011—2030. The calculations made it possible to identify the areas of possible and economically feasible cultivation of buckwheat in Ukraine.

This article studies the Coot and Moorhen breeding in urban conditions. Seven years’ (1999—2003, 2006 -2007) field studies resulted in the compilation of an atlas of the Kaliningrad region’s nesting birds. The city territory was divided into 206 plots of an area of 1 km2. The urbanisation rate was estimated on a scale of 1 to 5. Kaliningrad is home to 208 breeding pairs of coots and 56 of moorhens. The Coot is more widespread (present in 25.2 % of the plots) than the Moorhen (13.6 %). The population density of the Coot reaches 10—15 pairs per km2 in the most suitable habitats with an average density of only 4.0 pairs per km2. The population density of the Moorhen reaches 5 pairs per km2 in optimal habitats with an average density of 2.0 pairs per km2. A negative correlation between the number of birds and the urbanisation rate of the city territory is observed in the Moorhen (r s = — 0.44; P <0.05). The breeding area of the Moorhen has increased over the last decades. The Coot breeding area has not changed significantly, whereas the population density has increased.

This article studies the species composition and history of introduction of Siberian Introduction Centre’s woody plants in the Kaliningrad region. The authors analyse the seasonal rhythm of plant developed in 2002-2014. The resilience and acclimatisation of the woody species of the Siberian Introduction Centre in the Kaliningrad region are assessed.

This article analyses long-term meteorological and climatic data for Bela¬ru¬sian Polesia, namely, the Gantsevichi district of the Brest region. The authors have established significant thermal regime changes towards warming, which makes it possible to forecast the long-term possibility of cultivating more heat-loving varieties of the Highbush Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) in Belarussian Polesia.

The paper presents the results of a study of metal accumulation (Cu, Zn, Mn, Sr, Ni, Ca, Fe, Br, Rb) in the leaves of trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants (a total of 22 species) in the urban environment of Kaliningrad. The study area includes major geochemical landscapes – residential, industrial, and recreational districts. The background concentration of metals in plants is studied. The study establishes the presence of significant anthropogenic sources of metal pollution of vegetation in Kaliningrad. The leaves of plants found in the urban environment show excessive background concentrations of iron, manganese, zinc, and strontium. The maximum content of pollutants in plants is registered in industrial areas with high traffic load. Species-specific features of metal accumulation are established. Plants with a high metal accumulation capacity can be used in the phytoremediation of polluted urban areas.

This article considers the features of heavy metal accumulation in individual plants of the true grasses and spurge families in two industrial areas in the city of Gomel and outside the city. The author analyses the heavy metal accumulation in the aquatic vegetation in the city’s waterways. It is shown that, in industrial areas, the Gramineae are charactersied by higher cadmium, barium, nickel, and molybdenum concentrations and the Euphorbiaceae by those of chromium. Aquatic plants show higher levels of heavy metal accumulation in comparison with meadow vegetation.

This article analyses quality of life determined by the health of working-age population of a northern region. The authors identify latent factors affecting the quality of life in men and women engaged in mental and manual labor. Differences in the self-assessment of quality of life depending on the sex and job of the respondents are established. In different respondent groups, latent factors adversely affecting the quality of life formed clusters or functioned autonomously

This article presents the results of a hematological assay of blood (leucocytes, mean value of absolute and relative values of the leucocyte population: lymphocytes, total eosinophil, basophils, monocyte, and neutrophil count) in the military and reserve personnel. Seasonal, gender and age-dependent features in blood parameter changes are identified.

This article presents the Russian contrinution to the international study "Alcohol and drug prevention among youth in Baltic Sea region" (ADPY), implemented in 2012-2013 with the participation of municipalities from four European countries – Sweden, Norway, Lithuania, and Russia (two districts of the Kaliningrad region). The study aimed to collect comparable data on alcohol, drug, and other psychoactive substance abuse in 15-16 year olds. This article analyses the feautures of substance abuse in youth in the town of Bagrationovsk, including risks associated with substance abuse, the influence of family and social environment, and the attitudes of young people to the substance abuse problem. The data obtained can be used as a tool for local specialstis and policymakers active in the field of substance abuse prevention in youth in the process of preventive work at the local level.

The authors present a function-based typology of towns located on the coast of the Kaliningrad/Vistula Lagoon. It is shown that the recreational function of these towns is either poorly developed or absent, which complicates the sustainable development of coastal territories. Grade-based assessment makes it possible to identify factors both facilitating and hindering the recreational development of coastal towns. Towns with the highest recreational potential are identified.

This article analyses major trends in agricultural land use in the Kaliningrad region (the proportions of fallow land, tilled crops, grassland). The author suggests a methodology for calculating soil nutrient balance tested on a farm.

The article focuses on the scientific and practical conditions for the development of the Emerald network of areas of special conservation interest in Russia. The authors examine the role of biological reserves in conserving rare and endemic animal and plant species, including those of European significance. The article stresses the need to create a geoecological framework of a territory. For the first time, a cartographic representation of such framework is developed for the conditions of the Chechen Republic. The algorithm of its implementation is presented.

This article analyses the problem of ecological damage assessment and estmiates realted human effect based on the methodology of identifying pre¬vented ecological damage for a water-scarce region in the case of the Ural River basin. Calculations use regional per-unit damage data – cost assessments of damage per a unit of the pollutant mass. The causes oe negative uham effect on water resources and water-scarce regions in Russia are identifiied.